The Suin, who still have a wild nature, have had a culture that for a long time was perceived as barbaric by other races.
One of them was the worship of strength.
Any race would look up to the strong, but there was one thing that clearly set the Suin apart from other races.
It's a case of the strong monopolizing everything.
For a long time, the individual with the greatest individual strength reigned as the leader.
Although it wasn't just individual strength that was needed to lead the pack, the people still followed only the strong.
Those close associates were also determined solely by power.
As a result, a powerful hero who could shake the world was born, but he did not grow into a force that could make the world tremble in fear.
Moreover, this culture has created another culture that despises the weak.
It was at this time that Azonia emerged, when force was beginning to be considered a more valuable virtue than courage.
Azonia's power and charisma were so strong that they could reign over all the beastmen in the world.
But Azonia's real achievement was not that he rose above all the other water beings.
It was precisely this that taught the people the value of courage.
Azonia taught the people that even if they are weak, if they have the courage to stand up to the strong, they are noble.
Since then, the Suin have not simply pursued strength.
The instinct to worship the strong was still there, but that alone was no longer the absolute truth.
"And so the Age of Creation ended, and in addition to the Water Country in the Holores region, five other countries emerged: Fire, Steel, Wood, and Earth."
Leo nodded at Chelsea's explanation.
"Every country has a Colosseum?"
"huh."
The concept of the country of the water race was a little different from that of the countries of other races.
First of all, there is no king.
He who stands at the top of the nation is the champion of the Colosseum.
Five champions can reign over the country with immense wealth.
But the moment you lose to the challenger, you lose everything.
So, he was unable to play the role of a leader leading the Suin race.
The leaders of the tribes were the tribal chiefs who had political power, administrative power, and personnel authority.
"The concepts of heroes and fighters are also somewhat different. Some children, like Aron, dream of becoming heroes and enter Azonia... but sometimes, there are even beastmen who live in the Colosseum from a young age with the pure intention of becoming fighters."
Of course, there were those who lived the life of a fighter and rose to the position of hero.
But there was a clear difference between a hero like Aron, who devoted himself to the world, and a fighter who only pursued strength.
"The current champion of the Water Colosseum is a fighter who is only interested in fighting."
"The name of the champion of the Water Colosseum is clearly…."
"Aqua Beast, it's Meram."
He was a fighter who had fought only in the Colosseum his entire life and had risen to the ranks of heroes just from those fights.
He was the longest-serving champion among the current champions and was also considered the strongest warrior among the current generation of Suin.
"From Leo's perspective, he's a person I absolutely must meet."
"why?"
"Meram is a hero who has never fought Tartarus. He declared that he would not leave the Colosseum unless Tartarus invaded the Water Realm."
Chelsea sighed softly.
"If a champion who can defeat him appears in the Colosseum, it'll be a different story… but among the current generation of beastmen, there is no beastman who can defeat Meram."
"What if I break it?"
"Hmm. I'm not sure, but I don't think Meram would approve of fighting outside the Colosseum."
Leo, a human, cannot participate in the Colosseum.
Unlike Azonia, where anyone can enter regardless of race as long as they have the ability, the Colosseum is a world where only the beastmen are allowed to enter.
Although there are exceptions, it was natural that the champion was not allowed to other races as he was the pinnacle of the race.
Leo was lost in thought after hearing Chelsea's explanation.
Originally, he was planning to go to the Holores region to make a pact with the Great Spirit of the Wind, Sileton.
But after hearing Meram's story, I became interested.
'The strongest water warrior of the present age.'
Leo, who had been thinking about Meram, opened his mouth.
"Melina."
"Yes. Did you call, Leo?"
"omg?!"
Chelsea was startled to see Melina appear through the air at Leo's call.
"Oh, I'm sorry to startle you, Miss Chelsea."
"Oh, no. But you were listening to the whole conversation?"
"Yes. I always keep an eye on Leo to respond to your call."
In response to Melina's answer, Chelsea magically transmitted her voice so that only Leo could hear it.
-Leo, this is a private matter… … . Hic?!
At that moment, Melina walked up to Chelsea and pressed her face close to hers.
A beautiful appearance, but with a closed left eye and bulging tendons around it.
And the brightly shining silver eye on the right side evoked an inexplicable fear.
"Of course, I won't cross the line for Leo's privacy."
Melina continued, smiling brightly.
"I just remember those who approach me in an unhealthy way as a student."
Melina's words reminded Chelsea that Elena in particular had been scolded a lot by Professor Mel.
Of course, the gentle Professor Mel was not the kind of professor who made students tremble in fear.
The punishment that followed was enough to make even Elena tremble.
'I thought it was strange that Professor Mel gave such a harsh punishment... ... .'
At the time, I vaguely thought that Elena had made a big mistake, but I had no idea there was such a backstory.
"Chelsea has never received a verbal warning from Professor Mel, but she's been acting a little on edge lately, so I'm asking you to give her a word."
"yes...."
Chelsea, who had been nodding and shrugging her shoulders, stopped.
"Wait a minute. So, does that mean someone received a verbal warning?"
"Okay, let's end the story here."
"Professor Mel?"
"I'm Dragon Lord Melina. I'm not Professor Mel."
Melina shamelessly continues the concept.
Leo, who was watching the scene, asked.
"As a student, will I get in trouble if I cross the line?"
"Leo, you may be a student, but you're also an adult. How could I possibly punish you?"
"Oh. So that means I can do unwholesome things without any punishment?"
"Yes, I will remember it and tell everything to Risinas and Luna."
Leo burst out laughing as he watched Melina declare with a serious expression.
Then Chelsea tugged at Leo's shirt hem and asked with a serious expression.
"So, Leo, who are the kids who deserved a warning?"
Leo didn't answer.
Because it seemed like Chelsea were going to be mischievous.
"You know why I called you, right?"
"Yes. Is it because of the Water Colosseum Champion, Meram?"
When Leo changed the subject, Melina followed suit.
Chelsea looked dumb for a moment, but then stopped asking.
"Right. It seems you failed to persuade him too?"
"Yes. I asked him earnestly, but he said he would only follow the rules of the Colosseum."
Leo crossed his arms as he looked at Melina, who was smiling bitterly.
You can defeat Meram.
But that doesn't mean he will follow you.
"I guess I'll have to meet Meram while meeting the Great Spirit of the Wind."
"Meram only reveals himself when a challenger appears. Even if it's you, Leo, there's a high chance he'll refuse to meet her."
Leo chuckled as Melina spoke with concern.
"It wouldn't be bad to meet as a challenger."
With those words, Leo spread out his palm.
With that, the summoning circle was completed, and a small creature appeared from it.
-This body, appears!
Kiran flapped his wings in the air.
Then, small specks of light flew out from the wings in all directions.
It was called fairy dust and was so rare that it was considered valuable as an alchemical ingredient, but from Leo's perspective, it was just a useless, dazzling dust.
"I'm going crazy."
Leo grabbed Kiran's wing.
Even though he was caught by Leo and unable to move, Kiran was not intimidated.
Rather, he squeezed out his dignity.
"What do you wish for? My pledge. I, Kiran, the great fairy king, will grant your every wish."
"That's a line that could come out of a third-rate novel. What does a fairy want?"
Kiran looked pitiful as Chelsea tackled him from the side.
-No one can possibly grant your wish, Cliff.
Chelsea, who was moved by Kiran's words, tried to rush in, but was stopped by Melina.
"Put on Polymorph. The one I had before."
-Oh! That's easy!
Fairies are skilled in illusion magic.
Polymorph is also a type of illusion magic.
It was perfect even when he had only one wing, so it was clear that no one would notice now that he had become the Fairy King.
Leo's appearance changed into a rabbit seal with a bright light.
"cute!"
Chelsea shouted, her eyes sparkling.
"That's why Arga Leo calls you Black Rabbit!"
As Leo winked, Kiran cast a spell on Chelsea as well.
After a while.
Chelsea turned into a cat person.
"Hey Leo! How about me?"
Chelsea spun around in admiration.
Kiran answered on Chelsea's behalf, looking at her like that.
-It's just like Ar, being poor!
Chelsea immediately rushed to Kiran.
Leo said as he watched Chelsea chasing Kiran.
"That's a good thing."
"huh?"
"Chelsea, you said you wanted to get special training from me this vacation, right?"
"huh."
"Then I'll give you an assignment."
"What assignment?"
"Enter the Colosseum and win the right to challenge for the champion."
Chelsea's face hardened.
"What if… I can't get it?"
Leo smiled gently at Chelsea's question.
But to Chelsea, it was a smile scarier than the grim reaper's.
Chelsea's face turned pale.
"Oh, now that you mention it."
Melina clapped her hands in admiration.
"Perhaps Ar Yang, Dion, and Borman will also participate in this Water Colosseum."
"Wait a minute! You can only win three Colosseum Champion Challenges per season!"
"It's better."
Leo smiled more gently.
"The more difficult it is, the more I want to challenge myself."
'Wow... Leo is really like a devil.'
If someone who didn't know saw it, it would have been a smile that seemed kind to the world, but to Chelsea, it looked like the evil face of the Demon King.